12 names of river Ganges -

1. Nandini

2. Nalini

3. Seetha

4. Malaapaha

5. Malathi

6. Vishnupaadabjasambhutha

7. Ganga

8. Thripathagamini

9. Bhageerathi

10. Bhogavathi

11. Jahnavi

12. Tridasheshwari

How rains were measured in
ancient India?

People
in ancient times always watched the changes taking place in the nature, very
closely. They watched the positions and movements of planets. The year in
which the heat intensity from sun was more, the rains were scanty. And
the year in which moon was powerful, the rains were more, greenery was seen
everywhere and human beings were healthier. The year in which the
Mercury, Jupiter and Venus show their prominence has good results. If the
Saturn rules the year yields bad results says sage Parashar.

Sage Parashar gives a good explanation on the rains.
“Atha Jaladhak nirnayaha

shatha yojanah vistheernah

Threen sharyojana mucchithram

Adhakasya bhave maanam

Munibihi parikeerthitham.”

To measure the rains, in ancient times, the
Rishis(sages) had used the yardstick.
The area of adhaka (100 yojana wide and 300 yojana height) in a water
body had a good capacity to hold water.
Yojana is the thickness of a finger.
I drona=4 adhaka= 6.4 cm

It is somewhat equivalent to the rain measurement
done in modern days. Kautilya’s
Arthashastra (economics) has description on how rain was measured in different
parts of the country(India)
based on “Drona”.

What is Drona rain?

Rains that pour down continuously for 7 days from 3
clouds or a light drizzle from eighty clouds or the light showers from 60
clouds with sunshine. This is explained well in Kautilya’s Arthashastra.

In a year if it rains 16 dronas(25 inches) then
there will be dry crops. One and half times(37.5 inches) of rain yields wet
crops. Agricultural land was categorized
based on the rainfall in that region. If
the beginning of the rain in the months of July – August (Shravan) were 1/3rd
of the annual rainfall and the ending months i.e. October-November(karthika)
had rains. And in the middle of the rainy season, i.e. in the month of August-September(Bhadrapada-Ashwija)
had 2/3 of the rainfuall, then that particular year was a year that had good
rainfall.

The north Indian states that were ruled by Asmakas
had 13.5 dronas of rain and Avanti was the state that measured 23 dronas of
rainfall in a year. Western and
Himalayan borders of India
had more rainfall.

Saraswathi Prarthana (Prayer to Goddess Sharada – the
goddess of arts and education)

Namaste sharadadevi
Kaashmirapuravaasini I

Tvaamaham praarthaye nithyam
vidyaam buddhim cha dehime II

One who dwells in Kashmir, goddess, Sharada, my salutations to you. I pray
to bless me with good education and knowledge.

Yaa
kundenduthushaarahaaradhawala yaa shubhra vasthraavratha

Yaa
veenavaradandamandithakaraa yaa shwethapadmaasana I

Yaa bhrahmachyuthashnkaraprabhrathibhihi
devyeh sadaa poojitha

Saa maam paathu saraswathi
bhagavthi nissheshajaadyapaha II

Let Saraswathi in the form
of Bhagavathi always protect me. She is the one who resembles the white jasmine
flower, moon and snow as she wears white clothes.

With the musical instrument Veena
she sits on a white Lotus flower. She is the one who has always been worshipped
by Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara and other gods and goddesses. She is the one
who keeps us away from all sorts of ailments.

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